It is well known that gas turbine engine fuel nozzle components are required to operate in very severe environments. Commonly the fuel nozzle body component is exposed to high temperature gradients, resulting from ducting both colder fuel and relatively hot compressed air therethrough. These gradients can give rise to very high thermal stresses, to which the fuel nozzle is subjected. Elevated thermal stresses can also arise when different materials with different thermal expansion coefficients are fixed to one another and the temperature varies. Mismanagement of these stresses can result in cracks, leaks and to potential failure of the components. This is especially true in the case of temperature increase when the mechanical resistance of components decreases.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide an improved assembly which better resists thermal growth differential caused by large temperature gradients.